Chad Harney
Legacy BG Hogaak Dark Depths
| Creatures (20) 1 Dryad Arbor 4 Elvish Reclaimer 4 Stitcher’s Supplier 3 Satyr Wayfinder 4 Vampire Hexmage 4 Hogaak, Arisen Necropolis Spells (12) 4 Cabal Therapy 4 Crop Rotation 4 Thoughtseize Artifacts (3) 3 Mox Diamond | Lands (25) 2 Bayou 1 Bojuka Bog 4 Dark Depths 1 Forest 3 Khalni Garden 1 Sejiri Steppe 1 Swamp 4 Thespian’s Stage 4 Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth 3 Verdant Catacombs 1 Wasteland Sideboard (15) 1 Karakas 2 Pithing Needle 3 Surgical Extraction 1 Sylvan Safekeeper 1 Veil of Summer 2 Abrupt Decay 2 Assassin’s Trophy 3 Force of Vigor |
Wrenn and Six has quickly shown itself to be a major player in the Legacy metagame. The only question you need to ask yourself is, “Am I beating them, or joining them?” Normally I’d answer “join them” but playing Blue in Legacy lately has felt like quite a chore. If the recent MTGO MCQ and Challenge are any indication of what to expect in Richmond, I wouldn’t want to be showing up with 4c Wrenn and Six soup.
Gaak Depths boasts a pretty good matchup against the four-color decks, Mono-Red Prison, and traditional GB Depths. My only concern is UW Stoneblade taking down the MCQ. If people start picking that up more before the Open, I may audible to either Temur or 4c Delver, but for now I’m looking to Gaak.
Ally Warfield
Standard: Simic Nexus
Modern: Hogaak (Any Version)
Legacy: Death’s Shadow
Modern Hogaak Crab Vine
| (0) Creatures (32) 4 Hedron Crab 4 Carrion Feeder 4 Gravecrawler 4 Stitcher’s Supplier 4 Bloodghast 4 Satyr Wayfinder 4 Vengevine 4 Hogaak, Artisan Necroplis Spells (8) 2 Fatal Push 4 Faithless Looting 2 Collective Brutality | Lands (20) 2 Blood Crypt 4 Bloodstained Mire 4 Gemstone Mine 2 Overgrown Tomb 4 Polluted Delta 1 Swamp 1 Verdant Catacombs 2 Watery Grave Sideboard (15) 3 Thoughtseize 1 Collective Brutality 4 Leyline of the Void 1 Shenanigans 3 Force of Vigor 3 Assassin’s Trophy |
I am still in the middle of my testing, but at this point in Modern it’s fairly obvious that you register Hogaak, Arisen Necropolis or be wrong, with the exception of Mono-Red Prowess.
Speaking of Mono-Red Prowess, Ryan Overturf’s recent success with the deck at GP Minneapolis heavily influenced some new alterations of this Hogaak decklist, namely the two maindeck Collective Brutality. Especially in a team event, I imagine the decks I will play against this weekend will heavily consist of other Hogaak lists, Mono-Red variants, Humans, and Burn. Collective Brutality has merit in just about all of these key matchups.
I am presenting a Hedron Crab version of Hogaak currently, but truly any deck with Hogaak is going to end in success. The merits of playing with the Crab is the ability to rebuild your graveyard after a Ravenous Trap, Rest in Peace, etc. However, the deck struggles with a painful mana-base, and I am still heavily considering playing the Jund Aggro or Dredge versions of Hogaak as well.
Jess Estephan
Standard: Esper Hero
Standard Esper Hero
| Creatures (10) 4 Hero of Precinct One 4 Elite Guardmage 2 Deputy of Detention Spells (10) 1 Dovin’s Veto 2 Noxious Grasp 3 Tyrant’s Scorn 4 Thought Erasure Artifacts (1) 1 Bolas’s Citadel Enchantments (5) 1 Ethereal Absolution 1 Legion’s End 3 Oath of Kaya Planeswalkers (8) 4 Teferi, Time Raveler 4 Teferi, Hero of Dominaria | Lands (26) 4 Glacial Fortress 4 Godless Shrine 4 Hallowed Fountain 4 Isolated Chapel 4 Watery Grave 4 Drowned Catacomb 1 Swamp 1 Island Sideboard (15) 2 Duress 2 Kaya’s Wrath 1 Disfigure 1 The Elderspell 1 Despark 2 Devout Decree 1 Golden Demise 1 Ethereal Absolution 1 Dovin’s Veto 1 Bolas’s Citadel 1 Liliana, Dreadhorde General 1 Enter the God-Eternals |
Some of these choices have been made with my idea of how Team Constructed deck selections typically play out. I’m of the opinion that Team Constructed tournaments can polarize ranges as you’re only playing one deck for each format.
This Esper Hero list is the deck that I submitted for my Magic Pro League Core Split. Ultimately, it was a choice made surrounding a predicted metagame of Vampires, Mono-Red, Scapeshift, and Feather. A sideboard guide for these and my evaluation of the matchups can be found in the Team Nova Discord.
Due to the nature of Team Constructed tournaments, I would elect to play this for SCG Richmond over Vampires (arguably the best deck in the format) because I believe the likelihood of facing a mirror is high, and that is not a life I personally want to be living (or dying to).
Modern: Ad Nauseum/Whir Prison
Modern Ad Nauseum
| Creatures (4) 4 Simian Spirit Guide Spells (22) 4 Angel’s Grace 4 Ad Nauseam 1 Lightning Storm 1 Echoing Truth 2 Silence 3 Sleight of Hand 4 Serum Visions 3 Spoils of the Vault Artifacts (8) 4 Pentad Prism 4 Lotus Bloom Enchantments (4) 4 Phyrexian Unlife Planeswalkers (2) 1 Teferi, Time Raveler 1 Jace, Wielder of Mysteries | Lands (20) 3 Temple of Enlightenment 3 Temple of Deceit 3 Seachrome Coast 3 Gemstone Mine 3 Darkslick Shores 2 City of Brass 2 Plains 1 Island Sideboard (15) 4 Leyline of Sanctity 1 Path to Exile 1 Pact of Negation 2 Sphinx of the Final Word 1 Hurkyll's Recall 1 Wear/Tear 1 Grave Titan 1 Bontu's Last Reckoning 1 Engineered Explosives 2 Surgical Extraction |
This deck was difficult to build as it hasn’t been popular recently. I could see toying with the sideboard “packages” until you found a configuration you liked but this is where I ended up.
Whilst the lists available online have consistently shown up with Blast Zone, I don’t think I’m sold on it yet. I’ve opted to replace it with the third Temple of Enlightenment. Jace, Wielder of Mysteries is a new addition to the deck, replacing the previous Laboratory Maniac, and the effect of Blast Zone is not currently enough for me to ignore this particular color consideration.
A rule of thumb for me is that if I see a list online show up with a new one-of and then other lists start popping up with said card, I will generally scrutinize the slot a lot harder than usual.
If we were to build a list that went back to Pact of Negation, then the Temple of Enlightenment would likely become a Tolaria West. Other options include Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth.
Modern Whir Prison
| Creatures (4) 4 Simian Spirit Guide Spells (4) 4 Whir of Invention Artifacts (27) 1 Bottled Cloister 4 Chalice of the Void 1 Crucible of Worlds 1 Engineered Explosives 4 Ensnaring Bridge 4 Mishra’s Bauble 4 Mox Opal 2 Sorcerous Spyglass 1 Teferi’s Puzzle Box 1 Tormod’s Crypt 4 Welding Jar Planeswalkers (4) 4 Narset, Parter of Veils | Lands (21) 1 Academy Ruins 1 Blast Zone 2 Cascade Bluffs 1 Flooded Strand 1 Ghost Quarter 1 Inventors’ Fair 1 Ipnu Rivulet 2 Misty Rainforest 1 Polluted Delta 4 Snow-Covered Island 2 Steam Vents 4 Tolaria West Sideboard (15) 2 Sorcerous Spyglass 3 Chandra, Awakened Inferno 1 Damping Sphere 1 Grafdigger’s Cage 4 Spellskite 1 Torpor Orb 2 Urza, Lord High Artificer 1 Witchbane Orb |
For Whir Prison, just play whatever Susurrus is playing! He doesn’t appear to use Twitter very often but this is the latest list that I’ve found.
Both of these decks are my metagame picks and not what I’d play on most other weekends.
Legacy: uWu Stoneblade
Legacy UW Stoneblade
| Creatures (11) 3 True-Name Nemesis 1 Vendilion Clique 4 Stoneforge Mystic 3 Snapcaster Mage Spells (24) 4 Swords to Plowshares 4 Force of Will 1 Spell Snare 2 Spell Pierce 4 Brainstorm 1 Force of Negation 1 Counterspell 4 Ponder 1 Supreme Verdict 2 Council’s Judgment Artifacts (2) 1 Umezawa’s Jitte 1 Batterskull Planeswalkers (3) 2 Jace, the Mind Sculptor 1 Teferi, Time Raveler | Lands (20) 2 Tundra 4 Flooded Strand 3 Prismatic Vista 1 Polluted Delta 5 Island 3 Plains 2 Wasteland Sideboard (15) 1 Palace Jailer 2 Back to Basics 1 Sword of Fire and Ice 1 Vendilion Clique 1 Dovin’s Veto 1 Disenchant 1 Containment Priest 1 Supreme Verdict 2 Surgical Extraction 1 Blue Elemental Blast 1 Rest in Peace 2 Flusterstorm |
Matt Dilks
Modern Jund Hogaaak
| Creatures (31) 4 Carrion Feeder 4 Gravecrawler 4 Sticher's Supplier 4 Bloodghast 4 Satyr Wayfinder 4 Vengevine 4 Hogaak, Arisen Necropolis 3 Lotlesth Troll Spells (7) 4 Faithless Looting 1 Assassin's Trophy 2 Fatal Push Artifacts (2) 2 Shriekhorn | Lands (20) 4 Wooded Foothills 4 Verdant Catecombs 1 Bloodstained Mire 2 Blood Crypt 2 Overgrown Tomb 2 Swamp 1 Gemstone Mine 1 Dryad Arbor 2 Blooming Marsh 1 Blackcleave Cliffs Sideboard (15) 2 Thoughtseize 4 Collective Brutality 4 Leyline of the Void 3 Force of Vigor 2 Assassin's Trophy |
It has taken me too long to get to this point but we can’t beat the Gaak so I’m joining the Gaak. It is simply the best deck in the format not close and has gotten to the refined state where it has legit plans to beat the hate cards people are required to have to have a chance. I think Jund is the most streamlined consistent version so I’m planning on running that.
If I were to be in the other seats on my team I would play BG Depths in Legacy (no Hogaak nonsense) and in Standard I would play Mono-Red. BG Depths is just my go to deck without testing the format too much lately and I still think its really good. Mono-Red might be a bit of sleeper but again with little testing it would be my default or Bant Scapeshift.
Aaron Barich
Standard Mono-Red Aggro
| Creatures (20) 4 Ghitu Lavarunner 4 Fanatical Firebrand 4 Ember Hauler 4 Runaway Steam-Kin 4 Goblin Chainwhirler Spells (20) 4 Shock 4 Lightning Strike 4 Light up the Stage 3 Skewer the Critics 2 Chandra, Acolyte of Flame 3 Experimental Frenzy | Lands (20) 20 Mountain (0) Sideboard (15) 3 Blood Sun 1 Tibalt, Rakish Instigator 1 Dire-Fleet Daredevil 3 Lava Coil 3 Fry 1 Experimental Frenzy 1 Chandra, Acolyte of Flame 2 Hijack |
I swear I’m not just biased! Red has been a force in the MPL, showing its strength once again. With a rise of both Vampires and Esper variants, Mono-Red is in a great position to be the aggro deck of choice for this coming weekend.
Chandra’s Spitfire has found its way out of the deck as the matchups where it was once good, such as Scapeshift, have started playing a larger amount of interactive cards, making it much harder to steal a win with the flyer. Jund Dinosaurs seems to be on the decline as well, the other matchup where Spitfire could shine.
Experimental Frenzy is the best card for Red against nearly all interactive decks and playing less than three in the maindeck right now is likely a mistake.
Chandra, Acolyte of Flame does a great job of being a hard to remove threat against the midrange decks and extra copies of important spells such as Lava Coil and Fry in post board games. Using Chandra to flash back copies of Light up the Stage gives enough card advantage that games can still be won against the grindier decks even without access to Experimental Frenzy every game.
Blood Sun isn’t the most amazing card, but gives the deck the best chance it can get against Scapeshift out of all the available options. Waiting to cast it at the last second is a tough skill to learn, but is key in making sure they have used all of their potential avenues to remove it.
The single copy of Tibalt, Rakish Instigator may look weird, but it’s not a card that I’m interested in drawing multiple copies of and isn’t necessary to beat the lifegain-heavy decks. Make sure to understand your role in games and this red list is a great choice.
Drake Sasser
Modern Hogaak Crab Vine
| Creatures (35) 4 Vengevine 4 Hogaak, Arisen Necropolis 2 Lotleth Troll 4 Stitcher’s Supplier 1 Caustic Caterpillar 4 Hedron Crab 4 Gravecrawler 4 Carrion Feeder 4 Bloodghast 4 Satyr Wayfinder Spells (5) 1 Assassin’s Trophy 4 Faithless Looting | Lands (20) 4 Polluted Delta 1 Verdant Catacombs 4 Bloodstained Mire 1 Watery Grave 4 Gemstone Mine 2 Overgrown Tomb 2 Blood Crypt 1 Breeding Pool 1 Swamp Sideboard (15) 3 Thoughtseize 2 Fatal Push 1 Assassin’s Trophy 3 Force of Vigor 3 Collective Brutality 3 Leyline of the Void |
Ugh. Hogaak. Honestly I wanted nothing more than to confidently jam Izzet Phoenix into the competition again this weekend but the deck has suffered too much with the meta shift that it will have to stay shelved until Hogaak leaves the format. If you can’t beat em, join em.
I favor the Hedron Crab version of Hogaak, even though the mana is much worse and the crabs can be clunky at times, mostly because I think it is better than the other options. Also happens to be very good at beating much of the one-time-use graveyard hate that is being played in maindeck games right now. The three Leylines in the sideboard are simply because I do not think they are very good in the deck, and I would much rather use high numbers of Collective Brutality to win our Red deck matchups than have another card for the mirror.
Other than a few minor changes it is the same best deck we have come to know and love. Please ban Hogaak.
Dom Harvey
Modern Urza Thopter Sword
Out of respect for my teammates and the game (and myself too, why not!), I’m just registering Hogaak this weekend. But if I had my druthers, or if I qualify for the Classic, I’m likely to sleeve up Urza Thopter Sword.
The format has narrowed heavily around Hogaak and Burn/Mono-Red Prowess. Between them, these decks were around 40% of the metagame at the Grand Prix last weekend and dominated the Top 8. I expect this trend to continue even further at a team event where there can be pressure from your teammates to play a consensus best deck (see above!). Additionally, Burn and Prowess are relatively simple, cheap decks that a team can assemble and hand to someone if nobody on their team usually plays Modern.
With that in mind, I’m comfortable targeting these decks heavily at the expense of other matchups. Chalice of the Void is an excellent card against basic Mountains and conditionally strong against Hogaak as well as many of the fringe decks of the format (it’s odd to think of Izzet Phoenix as a fringe deck now, but here we are…). A list like this is rough around the edges and likely weaker overall than the Urza shells that have performed well (notably in the hands of Team Nova captain Harlan Firer) but it could be the right recipe for this weekend.
If I were playing Legacy this weekend, I wouldn’t leave home without four Dark Depths. After my foray into Lands I would be happy to run it back but I’m concerned that Team Opens are likely to feature more combo and Mono-Red Prison based on the same logic around simplicity and cost. BG Depths looks well placed to exploit blue decks while fighting off these other predators.
Harlan Firer
Standard: Orzhov Vampires
Modern: Urza Thopter Sword
Legacy: 4c Delver
Modern Urza Thopter Sword
I’ve never been the one to play the best deck. I prefer to do my own thing and make sure I have a good matchup vs the best deck, but Urza does that and so much more. Not only can Urza boast a positive Hogaak matchup, but it’s also just a good deck and with the ability to play any (and all) of the five colors in Magic it can be built to be favored almost anywhere you want.
This week I’m switching to Grafdigger’s Cage as my primary hate for Hogaak over my usual Leyline of the Void. With Hogaak finally adopting three to four copies of Force of Vigor I really just don’t want to have to mulligan for a Leyline post-board. With the switch to Cage, I’ve made room for Welding Jar, which insulates me from artifact hate and even makes my Mox Opals faster and more reliable!